Compost Soup

Here’s an idea for the garden that saves money, recycles kitchen waste and ends up with lush, healthy plants. This DIY Compost Soup is so easy, and saves a fortune in organic liquid plant food.

If you grow your own vegetables you’ll be all too familiar with those frequent trips to buy organic plant food in the hope of a good crop. I knew that it was possible to make your own, but to be honest the thought of the smell and mess did put me of. But this year I planted lots of sunflowers and corn and I knew they would be both thirsty and hungry, so I decided to give it a go.

We love coffee in our house, so this idea is perfect for the used grounds, along with any crushed egg shells you have they make a perfect base in a large bucket of water. Find a tucked away spot in the garden, and just keep adding the ingredients as you go. Dry out any old banana skins in the sun and crush them into the brew, and if you live near the sea, some crumbled seaweed works wonders too.

It’s a good idea to keep it loosely covered with a dustbin lid to keep out any unwanted visitors, and after an initial week or so steeping it’s ready to use. If you’re really picky, you can strain the liquid and keep it in a screw top canister for later use, but I find it easier to just keep a bucket on the go throughout the flowering season. Just use a small plastic yoghurt pot or beaker as a measure and add a scoop to each watering can as you water your garden.

I wouldn’t say it looks particularly appetising, but it really doesn’t smell that bad at all, it has a sort of earthy coffee aroma. And my garden has certainly enjoyed the effects, with giant sunflowers, sweet peas and cosmos in abundance and a bumper crop of green beans, tomatoes, corn and yellow squash.

I apologize a head of time, but I missed something regards to coffee grinds and egg shells.
All I have done is add my coffee grinds with ground I p egg shells to the top of my plants.
Should I have used water to make it something I pour into my plants?

Hi Shirley, What you have done will be great for the soil and your plants, so there is no need to worry. But making a liquid feed is just another way to get extra nutrients to your plants as they grow, particularly when the fruit is setting or to prolong flowering for instance. You can do it either way, whichever you find easiest. I tend to add all the amendments to the soil when I plant things out at the beginning of the season and then start using the liquid feed later on to keep everything healthy.

I just add it all to a bucket of water and let it stand for a week or so. Then when I want to feed the plants, I take a a cupful (about 250ml) of the liquid feed from the bucket and add it to a watering can full of water.

[…] If you can’t eat it, or preserve then make it work for you in the garden. You can compost in a number of ways, there is a method to suit everyone. It reduces unpleasant household waste and builds lots of […]

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Hi, I’m Sara

Welcome to Whole Food Home where I'll be sharing whole food, homemade recipes with a few all important healthy treats too to make every day seem special. And watch out for my DIY natural beauty tips and easy gift ideas - all pure and simple.